Clothes-tongs.



W. J. & A. OTT.

CLOTHES TONGS.

APPLICATION FILED 0013.28, 1909.

958,938. Patented May 24, 1910.

amue w'fioma 02 772.60 nd, wi/tweooeo WILLIAM JAMES OTT AND ADA OTT, OF HUGO, OREGON.

CLOTHES-TONGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 24:, 1910.

Application filed October 28, 1909. Serial No. 525,155.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM JAMES O'r'r and ADA Orr, citizens of the United States, residing at Hugo, in the county of Josephine, State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Tongs; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a clothes tongs and more particularly to a device for gripping clothes.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a stick in which clothes may be readily and conveniently handled for removing the same from boiling water contained within a wash boiler or the like.

Another object of the invention is theprovision of a device of this character in which wet clothes can be readily and easily handled without requiring the operator to grab the same by his hands and thereby overcoming the possibility of scalding the hands of the operator when removing the clothes from a steam or wash boiler.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character in which a grab jaw is pivotally mounted upon a stick and the said jaw is capable of being operated so as to grab the clothes at the end of the stick for the handling thereof when it is desired to remove the clothes from a boiler.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device which is simple in construction, readily and easily operated, thoroughly reliable and efficient in operation, and inexpensive in the manufacture.

\Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings :which illustrate the preferred form of embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clothes stick constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end view of the stick with the movable jaw shown in section and in closed position. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the removable jaw removed from the stick.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals 5 designates a stick which may be of any desirable length and is preferably cylindrical and of uniform diameter throughout its length having a rounded terminal 6, and at a point considerably removed from this terminal upon the stick 5 is mounted a movable gripping jaw 7, the latter being concaved in cross section throughout its entire length and having formed at its inner end at opposite longitudinal edges inwardly curved converging ears 8 and 9, containing registering openings to receive a pivot pin 10, which latter is passed through the stick for pivoting or hinging the gripping jaw 7 to the stick. The outer free end of the gripping jaw 7 is formed with a curved lip 11 correspondingly shaped to the rounded end 6 of the stick so as to partly overlap a portion thereof when the said gripping jaw is in closed position relative to the stick. The ear 8 of the gripping jaw 7 is extended and terminates in an eye 12, to which latter is pivotally connected one end of a pull rod 13, the opposite end of which is also pivotally connected to an eye 14, rising from the yoke 15 of a manually operable lever 16, the yoke thereof being connected to the stick by a pivot 17, and this lever is adapted to close the gripping jaw when actuated. Forwardly of the manually operable lever 16 and secured to the stick is one end of a retractile spring 18, the latter being also fixed to the eye 14 at its opposite end and this spring 18 serves to maintain the gripping jaw 7 in open position relative to the stick 5.

It will be obvious that when the jaw 7 is closed by manipulating the manually operable lever 16, its curved lip terminal 11 will overlap a portion of the rounded end 6 of the stick 5 so that clothes gripped between the said stick and gripping jaw will be held fast on the stick so as to prevent any possibility of the said clothes slipping from the end of the stick. Normally the gripping jaw 7 is in open position on the stick 5 and this is effected by the retractile spring 18 acting upon the manually operable lever 16, so that when it is desired to close the gripping jaw 7 it is necessary to press inwardly on the lever 16 which will automatically bring the gripping jaw to closed position. When pressure is released upon the manually operable lever 16, the spring 18 will antomatically open the gripping jaw 7, thereby freeing the clothes on the stick 5.

What is claimed is The hereindescribed clothes tongs coniprising a stick having a rounded terminal, a gripping jaw of substantially semi-circular shape in cross section having inwardly curved ears at one end thereof embracing the stick, a pivot passed through the ears and the stick for pivotally connecting the jaw to the said stick, a curved lip projecting outwardly from the opposite end of the jaw and adapted to partially embrace the rounded end of the stick, a lever pivoted to said jaw, a rod connected to the lever and to one of the ears of the jaw, and a retractile spring surrounding the rod and having one end fixed to the lever and its opposite end fixed to the stick, whereby the jaw will be normally 1naintained in open position with respect to the stick.

In testimony whereof, we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

IVILLIAM JAMES OTT. ADA OTT.

WVitnesses HARRY FIELDS, EVA MOCARTY. 

